Final Fantasy Special 1: Friendship on the Rocks
by Sonata-Time-Nocturne-Flare-Aoi
Summary: Complete! My first fanfic with the great Sonata and his associates. Tifa leaves Cloud for another man, so Cloud goes to sulk at a neighborhood bar. Will his close buddies be able to cheer him up? Rated T for mild language in later chaps.
1. Chapter 1: Show Me The Way

**Story**: Final Fantasy Special #1: Friendship on the Rocks  
**Author**: Flare Zero (New Author To The Group)  
**Written**: August 1st, 2008  
**Genre**: General/Hurt/Friendship  
**Rating**: T (Language)  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own Square-Enix or its characters  
**Author's note**: This is my first fanfic with the other three authors.

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**Chapter 1: Show Me The Way**

Dark, foggy, and cold. It was a cold morning in Midgar. The sun hadn't come up yet.

Enter Cloud, who was wandering down the street.

He was feeling really down.

Tifa had left him for another man after a huge argument last night.

Now, all that was left for Cloud to do was sulk.

He couldn't go to Tifa's 7th Heaven Bar, for she would surely kick him out…let alone let him inside.

So now he had to find another place to go have a drink. Cloud approached the nearest person he saw and asked for directions.

"Show me the way to the next whiskey bar. Oh, don't ask why…Oh, don't ask why…"

The man pointed to an old building a few blocks down.

"Thank you," Cloud says to the man, smiling weakly before departing to his new destination.

Alone he tread the streets.

He planned to drown his troubles away over a few glasses of alcohol.

**Next**: Chapter 2: The Whisky Bar

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**Author's note**: Short? Oh yes, this is my style. Please review! I look forward to hearing what everyone thinks of this so far.


	2. Chapter 2: The Whisky Bar

**Chapter 2: The Whisky Bar**

Cloud stepped into the dimly lit bar.

It was your average drinking house. There were darts, a couple pool tables, and of course the counter where the bartender would serve the drinks.

There were a few people getting their fix at this time of morning.

Cloud took a breath and approached the counter, sitting on the stool, and signals for the bartender.

Cloud was indeed shocked for who had come up to him.

It was Cid Highwind.

"What will you be havin' kiddo…Cloud?!" Cid said with much surprise.

"Cid? What are you doing working here? I though you and wife were living in Rocket Town," Cloud asks.

"Eh, my wife is out of town. Had to find a job to pay for the bills while she was gone. So I got a part time job at this dump," Cid explained.

Cloud was silent for a moment, then looked up at Cid.

"Heh, I know that look. Your girl left you, didn't she?" Cid said.

"How did you…" Cloud said.

"Easy…what other reason would you be wandering into a place like this at this hour?" Cid says.

"And…how do you figure?" Cloud asks.

"Psh, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. Would always go to a bar in the middle of the night when my girl would be bitching about nothing," Cid explained with a chuckle.

"Heh, well, at least your girl didn't leave you, am I right?" Cloud asks.

"Damn straight. So kiddo, you going to have a drink or what?" Cid asks with a wry smile.

"Give me the strongest you've got."

**Next**: Chapter 3: Drowning In Secrets

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**Author's note**: Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Drowning In Secrets

**Chapter 3: Drowning In Secrets **

Cloud took a deep gulp, and then sets the shot glass down onto the counter.

It was his third glass of Cid's strongest liquor.

Cloud, not being an experienced drinker at all, was definitely showing signs of intoxication.

"Give me another," Cloud says to Cid.

"Heh, think you can take it?" Cid asks.

"Of course I can!" Cloud shot back.

"Pfft, you wish…" Cid said, eyes rolling. "I aint' dragging your passed-out ass away from here I'll tell you that much!" Cid warns.

Cloud grumbled, his head down, now in thought.

Cid knew what Cloud was thinking about right now.

"Your thinking about your old girl Tifa aren't you?" Cid asks.

"Yeah…" Cloud simple said.

"…You know, soon I reckon she'll realize the mistake she's made and come running back to you in no time," Cid continued.

Cloud wanted to believe Cid's words, but couldn't for some reason.

The argument they had was a terrible one; it wasn't just about menial issues, but many factors leading up to this point…

…the past…the fight with Sephiroth…so many things…

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

Cloud looks up at the bar's entrance.

A hulking figure stood inside the door.

"…Barret?" Cloud says with much surprise.

**Next**: Chapter 4: A Simple Game

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**Author's note**: Please review!


	4. Chapter 4: A Simple Game

**Chapter 4: A Simple Game **

Barret Wallace enters the bar much to Cloud's surprise.

"Barret…?" Cloud says.

"Huh? What're you doin' here?" Barret asks.

"Relationship trouble…" Cid responds before Cloud could.

"Hmph…" Barret responds, sitting next to Cloud.

"Why are you here?" Cloud ponders out loud.

"I always come here…" Barret says. "After blowin' up Mako Plants."

"You still play the same game…but…" Cloud says.

"There's still more plants around Midgar you don't know of that are still online…" Cid pipes in.

Barret orders a shot of the house special.

"Wanna join me? It'll keep your mind off of your girl for a while…" Barret began.

"Sounds…tempting…some action would do me good…" Cloud contemplates.

…But…would he go?

There was something he had to find out for himself.

Unbeknownst to them…the problem comes to him.

**Final**: Chapter 5: Redemption

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**Author's note**: Final chap is almost here. Please review!


	5. Chapter 5: Redemption

**Chapter 5: Redemption **

The doors of the bar swing open.

All was silent as Cloud and his buds look to see who the visitor was.

Cloud's eyes widened in disbelief.

"…Sephiroth?"

Indeed it was.

The silver-haired arch-rival of Cloud steps inside the bar, slowly approaching the counter, and sitting on an empty bar stool.

"…A martini please…" said Sephiroth.

"Why are you here?" Cloud asks, eyes locked on the glass in front of him.

"It seems…even I am not fit to please her…" Sephiroth said.

"Oh?" Barret and Cid said simultaneously.

"But how…" Cloud asked.

Sephiroth took a drink.

"I will not go into details. All that is left to do is to make amends," Sephiroth said, downing his glass.

"Heh, its so unlike you…" Cloud responded.

"All is according to circumstance. Go get her, if you think you're still in reach," Sephiroth adds.

Cloud stands.

"Well I'll be damned…" Cid said.

"You really gonna go through with it? I thought she was the problem?" Barret questions.

"I guess the problem really isn't either of us…I'll just find the real answer to fix all of this," Cloud stated. Before heading out the bar.

"H-hey!" Cid called out to him.

"I got his tab," Sephiroth cuts in.

"He better tells us how things turn out," Barret says, retuning to his drink.

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**The End!**

**Author's note**: That's it! Please review, and thanks for reading!


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